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    The Union Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley has said that all of us should develop highly positive mind set to resolve problems facing the nation. In a Face-to-Face question-answer National Seminar on International Business, organised by G.D.R. School of Commerce and International Business, Coimbatore, here today, Shri Jaitley answered a plethora of questions relating to expeditious justice delivery system, terrorism, corruption, role of his Ministry in facing the challenges of globalisation, Review of the Working of the Constitution and fate of domestic industry especially small scale industry vis-à-vis the emerging globalisation of Indian economy under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) regimen.

    In the area of judiciary, the Law Minister said efforts were on to improve procedural laws so as to expedite disposal of cases by the courts. In this connection, the Minister cited the Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2000 which was before Parliament and most likely to be passed in the forthcoming budget session. The proposed amendment was designed to limit the arguments within thirty days for expediting disposal of civil cases. As for the criminal justice delivery system, Shri Jaitley said that Justice V.S. Malimath Committee on Criminal Justice System was currently seized of and thereafter the Government would amend the criminal laws so that people got justice expeditiously. Regarding expeditious disposal of mounting arrears, efforts were on to set up 1734 Fast Track Courts all over the country at sessions level, out of which 1024 such courts by now had been set up. Besides, the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 was being amended to set up permanent Lok Adalats for expeditious adjudication of public utility services at the pre-litigative stages so that people were relieved of day to day pin pricks at the cutting edge of public administration. In our system every citizen had right to justice and even poorest of the poor were covered under the free legal aid system from the State. The Minister gave special emphasis on alternative dispute resolutions in order to decongest the existing courts.

    Answering questions on corruption and its resolutions, the Law Minister said that corruption cropped up in the country largely on account of large scale discretionary power acquired by the State in the controlled economy. Now with the setting up of various regulators the Government was divesting itself of control regime and independent decisions that could effect trade, commerce and industry were being taken by regulators resulting in reduction in the level of corruption. Even grant of largesse and tenders were now through transparent processes and the Government was getting out of such system which was a good news for the community. Yet in the areas of municipalities and revenue administrations, corruption was continuing unabated. The Minister suggested effective administrative mechanism to punish the guilty through the process of sober and straight forward administrative mechanism.

    Talking of the review of the Constitution of India by Justice M.N. Venkatachalaiah Commission, the Law Minister said while the basic frame of our Constitution has stood the test of time and served the people well, the Working of the Constitution needed to be reassessed in order to strengthen further its basic features based on the experience of the working of the Constitution during the last over fifty years.

    Answering a question over the fate of domestic industry especially small scale industry in the face of emerging globalistion of Indian economy under the WTO regime , the Minister said that there was no alternative to competition, reforms in labour laws, interest structure, infrastructure, tariffs, anti-dumping measures, checking of abuse of dominance, cost cutting and reduction in the oversize establishment cost for Indian industry if it had to survive in a very stiff competitive environment.

    Later, the Law Minister released the first issue of the monthly newsletter titled "VOICE" of the School of Commerce and International Business. Earlier, Shri K.K. Ramachandran , Director of the School, welcomed the Minister and gave an overview of his School and how it has come up as a five star business school in the country.